Environmental Justice for Unheard Communities

ongoing

Environmental injustice remains a pervasive and under-addressed issue across Europe. Marginalised and racialised communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental risks - such as pollution, noise, lack of green spaces, or inadequate public services like waste collection and sanitation. Despite Article 37 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights mandating a high level of environmental protection, EU law does not yet guarantee a general right to a healthy environment. Moreover, insufficient safeguards exist to prevent marginalised groups from bearing an unequal environmental burden, undermining the Charter’s prohibition of discrimination under Article 21. This project aims to fill crucial gaps in research and advocacy of environmental justice. It includes creation of evidence-based pilot maps in the participating countries (France, Hungary, Romania and Spain), raising awareness and building the capacity of key stakeholders together with recommendations for a European legislation on environmental justice. It should contribute to better alignment of environmental policies and their implementation with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will also contribute to closing critical gaps between environmental and human rights policies and ensure that fundamental rights are placed at the core of environmental decision-making.